In light of news over JHS 80’s performance, this week we asked readers their thoughts on the performance of local public schools in their neighborhoods.
I think the schools are great except for MS 80, which was known as a very difficult school back in the ‘80s when I attended. So I would love to see that improve–and that was in the papers a couple of days ago. My daughter goes to Bronx Dance Academy in Woodlawn; she loves the school, she loves the principal, Ms. Lopez. It’s excellent and I see it every day with my child.
Rashida Reed-Gordon
Norwood
The school, which is PS 90, is pretty good. The teachers are tough on the kids; they just want to make sure that the kids learn and they give them lots and lots of homework. I know because my granddaughter and my grandson come home with lots of homework. On the holidays they have packages of homework and they had to make sure that homework was done before they get back to school. So it’s good that they push the kids. You have Junior High School 22. It’s kind of wild; and PS 35 is one of the best schools… 145 was closed, they weren’t performing correctly and they shut it down.
Rose Perez
Morrisania
I think PS 8 is a very good school, I see it. They have after-school programs that are important. You want to help the kids, it keeps them off the streets and it helps them to learn. I’ve heard mixed things about MS 80, I mean I’ve seen it myself, just random disorder with kids running around. PS 8 is much more disciplined. If you’re doing your job as a teacher, you have to keep your students in control. If they’re running havoc all over the place and they’re not in the yard, they’re out in the street. They’re out of control.
James Brannigan
Bedford Park
There has been a slight improvement at the Christopher Columbus High School campus this year, but the school has an effect on the neighborhood with frequent fights outside after school and from my sources, dysfunction within the school. There is a big, big leadership problem ever since the former principals of CIMS and Pelham Prep, which are two schools within the school, were fired. Until the local superintendent steps down, this issue will not improve. The Police (Department) is a stopgap measure; what you need is leadership that motivates staff and students and provides a welcoming, positive educational environment, and that’s not what’s being provided at Columbus.
Raphael Schweizer
Allerton
I’m the president of the Bronx High School Federation, so my insight is a little bit different than your average person who lives in one particular area of the Bronx. I have two children in charter school and two children in district public schools and where I have my children they are all really good schools that work very hard for the kids and they’re all doing very well. But on the other side of that, there are a lot of children falling in the cracks and I don’t necessarily want to blame the schools, but I would say it’s more of a bureaucracy problem.
Pamela Stewart
Parkchester
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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.
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I don’t see any comments about the violence in the schools. I don’t have kids but if I did, there is not one school in this city I would send my kids to. How does anyone expect a child to do well in school when they are so terrified in school. Of course a child is not going to get good grades because he cannot concentrate on his school work and most likely does not even want to go to school because they are scared to go. The school safety agents stand there and watch when there is a fight. They see things and ignore it and later on they say they saw nothing. They claim they cannot put their hands on a child, which is understandable. But who said they have to hit a child. All they have to do is break up the fight. I know because I have seen a few things and can tell you a few stories.